The present invention relates generally to floor pivot pedal assemblies used in automotive vehicles and more particularly to installation methods for such assemblies.
Floor pivot pedal assemblies used in automotive vehicles have driver operated foot pedals that pivotally attach at a bottom end (in a heel zone), and pivot on a pivot axis about this bottom end. That is, the top end of the pedal swings in an arc centered about this bottom pivot axis. This is different from other types of foot pedals where the bottom end of the pedal can translate rather than being translationally fixed at a pivot axis centered at the bottom of the pedal. For these floor pivot pedal assemblies, with a pivot hinge, the assembly and installation can be more difficult than for the other types of foot pedals used in vehicles.
Some mount the floor pivot pedal assemblies using ball studs welded to a mounting bracket, complex snap features, and a bolt, to mount the assemblies in the vehicle. However, this type of arrangement is more costly and complex than is desired. Others use fasteners in the heel area to secure the pedal in the vehicle, but the location of these fasteners in a heel area may annoy some drivers and may make the pedal assembly unsightly. Still others us multiple bolts visible to the vehicle driver to secure each pedal assembly in the vehicle. This is not only unsightly, but also may add to the installation time when installing the pedals into vehicles in the vehicle assembly plant since multiple fasteners must be aligned and installed.